Trap



' Sept. l5, 1942.

G@ R. LAHUE l 2,296,040

TRAP

Filed oct. 9, 1941 l H f7 n, .J/,WA

Patented Sept. 15, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TRAP George R. Lahue, Lemont Furnace, Pa.

Application October 9, 1941, Serial No. 414,343

7 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved trap especially adapted for use by trappers, and more particularly to a trap which is constructed to kill an animal caught therein quickly and humanely.

Among the primary objects of the invention are: to provide a trapwhich will be light and compact, yet strong and durable; to provide a trap having a pan or trigger so arranged relatively to the jaws of the trap that when the trap is released by an animal the jaws will either strike the animals neck or the portion of the body just behind the shoulders and in the region of the vital organs so that in either instance the animal will be killed almost instantly; to provide a trap that will eliminatethe danger of an animal escaping after being caught and which can be used for catching mink or muskrat, etc., and which does not have to be set when so used to drown the catch; to provide a trap which does not have to be anchored down except when used for mink or muskrat and in such cases only to prevent the trap from being washed away; to provide a trap which will not readily become clogged, which is very compact so that it can be easily concealed either on dry land or in the water, and which will not freeze to the ground so as to prevent the jaws from releasing.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view showing the trap set,

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the same,

Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially along the plane of the line 3-3 of Figure 1, and

Figure 4 isa fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional view of a portion of the trap taken substantially along a plane indicated by the line 4--4 of Figure 3.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the different views, I designates generally the trap in its entirety and which includes an elongated substantially flat base II forming the base of the trap. A post I2 is secured to the base II, intermediate of the ends thereof, and projects upwardly therefrom. The post I2 is preferably polygonal shaped in cross section and increases in size from its lower to its upper end, and is provided at its upper end with a slot I3, which opens outwardly thereof and outwardly of opposite sides of the post I2. The slot I3, as seen in Figure 1, is disposed longitudinally of the base Il.

A pair of jaws I4 and I5 have inner corresponding vends I6 disposed in the slot I3 and through each `of which a rivet or pivot pin I'I extends. The rivets or pivot pins II loosely engage openings, not shown, in the ends IE for swingably connecting the jaws I4 and I5 to the post I2 and in a manner so that the jaws are arranged to swing in a Vertical plane. rIhe jaws I4 .and I5 each comprise a bar, the sides of each of which are disposed substantially in vertical planes, when the jaws are set, as seen in Figures 1 and 2. The jaws I4 and I5 are provided with upwardly curved free ends I8 which are offset laterally at I9 rela-` tively to the inner ends of the jaws. As seen in Figure 1, the ends I8 are offset in opposite di rections relatively to one another, for a purpose which will hereinafter become apparent.

A spring 20 comprises an elongated strip oi resilient metal which is bent upon itself intermediate of its ends and which is provided with enlarged eyelets 2| and 22 at the ends thereof. The eyelet 2| rests on the base I I and is provided with an opening 23, as seen in dotted lines in Figure 2, which loosely engages around the lower, restricted portion of the post I2. The eyelet 22 is provided with an enlarged opening 24 which loosely engages the upper portion of the post I2 and which is of sufficient size to move upwardly and out of engagement therewith, for a purpose which will hereinafter become apparent. The opening 23 is sufficiently small so that it cannot be moved upwardly and out of engagement with the post I2, but is suciently large to permit the spring 20 to be swung on the post I2, for a purpose which will hereinafter become apparent.

Referring particularly to Figures 3 and 4, a U- shaped member 25 has a base portion 26 which is disposed beneath and transversely of the base II and which is secured thereto by means of a, suitable fastening 21 such as a rivet. The member 25 is connected to the base II adjacent one end thereof, and has legs 28 and 29 forming ears which project upwardly on the outer sides of the longitudinal edges of the base II, and which engage thereagainst to prevent the member 25 from turning relatively to the base II. The ear 28 is provided at its upper end with an opening 30. A pin or detent 3| is provided with an eye 32 at one end thereof which is loosely connected through the opening 30 for swingably mounting the pin 3l on the ear 28. The ear 29 is provided with a cut-out portion forming a notch 33 which opens in a direction towardthe center of the base II, and which forms a shoulder 34 thereabove. The pin or detent 3I is adapted to extend across the upper edge of the jaw I4, when said jaw is in a set position, and is adapted to have its free end disposed in the notch 33 and bearing against the underside of the shoulder 34 for holding the jaw I4 in a set position to thereby hold the end of the spring 20, having the eye 22, in a compressed position, as seen in Figure 2.

A trigger 35 is pivotally connected adjacent one end thereof to the inner side of the ear 29 by means of a rivet or other fastening 33. The trigger 35 is provided with an enlarged substantially circular opposite end forming a pan 31. The trigger 35 is twisted at 38, intermediate of its ends, so that the pan is disposed substantially at a right angle to the plane of the pivoted end of the trigger, and so that the plane of the pan is substantially parallel to that of the base II. As seen in Figure l, the pan 31 is disposed to one side of theA jaws I4 and I5 and above and to. one side of one longitudinal edgeof thebaseII. Said edge of the. base I I is provided with an extension 39 intermediate of its ends, which projects laterallyv therefrom and which is disposedbeneath the pan `31 and. in substantially the same plane/as the base II, for a purpose which will hereinafter be described. Trigger 35 is provided, at its pivoted end, with an upwardly projecting extension or arm 40, which engages' behind the free. end of the pin 3I as seen in Figure 4. f

The trap I is set by pressing downwardly on the upper half of the spring Zitto allow the jaws I4 and I5 to swing downwardly to the positions as seen in Figures l and 2. While thus pressing downwardly on the upper halfof the spring 20, the pin or detent 3I is swung to a position above and crosswise of the jaw I4 and its free end is positioned in the Vnotch 33 and pressed inwardly thereof and against the forward edge of the extension orl arm 40 of the 'trigger 35 to force said extension rearwardly. This will rock the trigger 35 to elevatethe pan 3-1 to the position, as seen in Figure 2. Pressure on the uppervhalf of the springv 20 is then gradually releasedtopermit the eye 22 to move into` engagement with the inner ends of the jaws I4 and I5 for urging said ends upwardly so that the jaw I4 will bear against the intermediate portion of the pin 3I to force the free end thereof upwardly and against the underside of the shoulder 34. The frictional engagement between the free end of the pin 3 I and the shoulder 34 will be sufficient-to hold the trigger 35 in an elevated` position, and the pin 3I by engagement with the jaw I4 will hold it in its position, as seen in Figure 2, to holdthe upper half ofthe spring 2i) under tension so that the jaw I will be held by gravity in itsy position of Figure 2, corresponding to the posi-tion of the jaw I4. If an ani-mal approaches the set trap I0 on the side thereof from which the pan 31 projects, when the animals fore feet are positioned to tread on the pan 3,1., the neck of the animal will be directly above the jaws I4 and I5. Consequently, when the pan 31 is tread upon by the animal it will be depressed to rock the eX- tension 40 forwardly toward the free endof the pin or detent 3l for moving said free end of the pin forwardly and out ofv engagement with the notch 33 and out oie-'engagement with the shoulder 34 so that the pressure exerted on they jaw I4, by the spring 20, will cause the jaws I4 and I 5 to swing upwardly to strike the animal so that its neck will be disposedY between the jaws for instantly killing the animal, usually by breaking the neck. If the trap I0 is approached from the opposite side of the jaws I4 and I5, when the fore feet of the animal tread upon the pan 31 the body of the animal directly behind the shoulders will be disposed over the jaws so that the jaws when closing will strike this region, which contains the vital organs, with a sufficiently crushing blow to kill the animal almost instantly.

The extension 39 will obviously prevent the trap I0 from tilting when the pedal 31 is depressed. The intermediate portion of the spring 20 can be swung to the right from its position, as seen in Figure l, due to the fact that the openings 23 and 24 of its ends 2I and 22 loosely engage the post I2 so that the position of the spring 20 can be adjusted to enable it to be moved out of the way of an obstruction adjacent to which the trap is to be set. The opening 24 of the end 22, as previously stated, is suiciently large to move out of engagement with the upper end of the post I2 so that when the trap I0 is released said opening can move upwardly and into engagement with the inner portions of the jaws I4 and I5 to securely hold the jaws in closed position. By having the ends I8 offset in opposite directions the upper or inner edges of the jaws I4 and I5 are capable of moving into engagement with one another, when the trap is sprung and consequently when any part of an animal is disposed between the released jaws constant tension will be exerted thereagainst to securely hold and crush the portion of the animal which is engaged by the jaws.

Various modifications and-- changes are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, provided they fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter dened by the appended claims, as only a preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed.

I claim as my invention:

l. A trap comprising a base member, jaws pivotally connected thereto and arranged to swing upwardly to a closed position, spring means dis posed to engage and urge the jaws upwardly, a detent pivotally connected to the base at one end of the detent, an ear extending. upwardly from the baseand having a notch to receive and engage the free end of the detent, said detent being arranged over one of the jaws for holding the spring means retracted, a trigger pivotally oonneoted to the ear and provided with a pan at its free end, and said trigger having an arm arranged to engage the last mentioned end of the detent for moving it out of engagement with the notch, when the pan is depressed, to release the trap.

2. A trap as in claim l, said jaws being disposed longitudinally of the base, said pan being disposed to one side of the jaws and beyond one longitudinal edge of the base.

3. A trap as in claim l, the pan portion of said trigger being disposed to one sideof the jaws-and beyond one longitudinal edge of said base, and said base being provided with an extension disposed beneath the pan and adapted to rest on the supporting surface of the trap to prevent the trap from tilting when the panV is depressed.

4. A trapcomprising an elongated substantially flat base, a post xedly secured to said base and extending upwardly therefrom, elongated jaw members pivotally connected at their inner, adjacent ends to the post and disposed above the base and longitudinally thereof and: arranged to swing in a vertical plane, spring means lengaging the post, beneath the inner ends of the jaws for urging the outer ends of the jaws upwardly for closing the jaws, laterally spaced ears projecting upwardly from the base, a pin swingably connected to one of said ears, the other ear being provided with a notch for receiving the free end of the pin, said pin extending over one of the jaws for holding said jaw in an open position to hold the spring under tension, a trigger pivotally mounted on said last mentioned ear and having a horizontally disposed pan at its free end, said trigger having an upwardly projecting extension at its pivoted end for engaging the last mentioned, free end of the pin for holding the pan in an elevated position, and said pan being depressible to Cause the extension to swing in a direction for engaging and moving the free end of the pin out of engagement with the notch for releasing the jaw held hereby to permit said spring to expand for closing the jaws.

CII

5. A trap as in claim 4, said pan being disposed to one side of the jaws and above and beyond one longitudinal edge of the base.

6. A trap as in claim 4, said pan being disposed to one side of the jaws and above and beyond one longitudinal edge of the base, and said base being provided with a lateral extension disposed beneath the pan and adapted to rest on the supporting surface of the trap to prevent the trap from being tilted when the pan is depressed.

7. A trap as in claim 4, said jaws each cornprising an elongated bar, said bars having up-` wardly curved free ends, and said free ends being offset relatively to the inner ends of the jaws and in opposite directions to one another.

GEORGE R. LAI-IUE. 

